South African police have suspended eight officers allegedly involved in the death of a man who was dragged through the street from the back of a police vehicle.
Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega said Friday a local police commander has also been removed from his post, as the investigation into the case continues.
Video of the incident shows 27-year-old Mido Macia, a taxi driver from Mozambique, being handcuffed to the back of a police vehicle. In the video, taken by a bystander, people urge the police to stop but the vehicle drives forward. Macia later died in custody.
South African President Jacob Zuma earlier condemned Macia's death, describing the video of the incident as "horrific, disturbing and unacceptable."
Media reports say Macia was stopped Tuesday by officers in an area east of Johannesburg after he was allegedly obstructing traffic. Police say he became aggressive when they asked him to move.
Moses Dlamini, a spokesman for South Africa's Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), says authorities are looking into the cause of Macia's death.
"The post mortem showed that he had head injuries and some injuries on his upper abdomen," said Dlamini. "That is what we are currently looking at."
Dlamini says that officers had not mentioned the dragging incident in their police report.
The video of Macia being dragged through the streets was released Thursday through a South African newspaper, the Daily Sun.
Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega said Friday a local police commander has also been removed from his post, as the investigation into the case continues.
Video of the incident shows 27-year-old Mido Macia, a taxi driver from Mozambique, being handcuffed to the back of a police vehicle. In the video, taken by a bystander, people urge the police to stop but the vehicle drives forward. Macia later died in custody.
South African President Jacob Zuma earlier condemned Macia's death, describing the video of the incident as "horrific, disturbing and unacceptable."
Media reports say Macia was stopped Tuesday by officers in an area east of Johannesburg after he was allegedly obstructing traffic. Police say he became aggressive when they asked him to move.
Moses Dlamini, a spokesman for South Africa's Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), says authorities are looking into the cause of Macia's death.
"The post mortem showed that he had head injuries and some injuries on his upper abdomen," said Dlamini. "That is what we are currently looking at."
Dlamini says that officers had not mentioned the dragging incident in their police report.
The video of Macia being dragged through the streets was released Thursday through a South African newspaper, the Daily Sun.
